Improvement in cartridges for fire-arms



W. S. SMUOT. Cartridges for Fire-Arm's.

Patented June 23,1874.

'seetionof'mycartrid'ge as' adapted WILLIAM s. SMOOT, or ILION, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR RIGHT TO E. REMINGTON & sons,

PATENT Curios.

OF omt-nALFnis" or SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT m c 'R'rRioeEs' ro FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No; 152,428, dated June 23,1874 applicatioii filed July 5, 1873. y l

chambered portion of a gun-barrel with the.

cartridge inserted. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal to military arms or rifles; Fig. 3, a similar view of the same as prepared for use in shot-guns; and Fig. 4 is a sectional portion of the head, illustratin g the manner of securin g the anvil therein.

In constructing my cartridge, I draw up the shell B, of metal, in the usual manner. I then place within the head a disk or wad, I), having a hole in the center, of such a size asIto permit the disk to fit down within the head around the battery-cup or recess 0 made in the center of the head, this cup or recess being termed by pressing in the metal at the center of the base or head, in a manner well known at the present day, and as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and4. I then provide a cup a, and insert it within the shell B, and then, by means of a die and press, sub

' ject the cup and head, with the disk, to a heavy pressure, whereby the parts are pressed very closely and firmly together, thus causing the disk to expand laterally and perfectly fill the cavity ofthe head between the outer walls of the shell and the sides of the battery-cup c. This disk I make either of soft metal or of paper suitably prepared, so that when subjected to the pressure itwill remain set or fixed, its object being tolact as a re-enforce to strengthen the head of the cartridge. The cup a is intended not as a means of re-enforcin g the head, the wad or disk b doing that, but as a gascheck, to prevent the gas from entering any crevice in the head, and it may be made of comparatively light metal. In Fig. 3 I have shown this cup at as extending the entire length of the shell, by which TheTront end? tlie cartridge sliduld be made J such as zinc, for the cute 'shell B.

In constructing my cal, tridge, whether it be red need ,in diameter at thefront, as represented in Figsjl and 2, or made of uniform diameter I throughtrut, as in Fig. 3, I make the body cy-- lind-rica that is it is not "tapered at all, cxcept whe'rc necked or reduced in diameter,

which is only done when intended to be used 3 in rifles-or militaryarms. I arm in which they are to be used I taper, as represented in Fig; '1, its diameter at the rear being increased from two to four thousandths of an inch, this being exaggerated in the draw The chamber of the ing for the pur iose 'of illustrating thelidea q to fit the chamber at the front as closely as possible when inserted, to prevent the gas from entering between the outside of the cartridge and the walls of the chamber.

When the cartridgeandchamber of the gun are thus constructed, itwill be seen that there is little or no possibility of theescape of gas when the gun is fired, the cartridge'fitt-ing snugly at its front end, while-the elasticity of the metal composing the shell allows it to ex pand under the pressure ofthc charge sufli I ciently to cause. its body to. come in contact with the walls of the chamber of the gun, and

to contract again when relieved from the press ureof the gas. It will also be seen that when thus constructed the shell, although forced in tight, will be relieved or rendered loose, as soon as it is moved a very little froxnits seat in the chamber, and is thereby admirably adapted for being thrown entirely out of the gun in the act of extraction. The anvil d is composed of a separate piece of metal, and is set on edge as shown in Figs. 2, in place by'forcii'ig crosswise of the recess 0, 3, and 4, and it is secured I down overits ends a small portion of the metal from the inner walls of the recess, as shown in Fig. 4, this being doneby a suitable punch, which is forced into thc'recess for the I purpose of sizing or finishing the recess for the reception of the primer, which is inserted behind the anvil, but not shown in the drawing, it beiugacommon method of priming this class of cartridges. The object of this sizingoperation is to make the recess of the exact g -fii'ed many times,

size required to receive the primer, and at the same time to insure a perfect mechanical fit, so as to render it gas-tight when exploded. There is a hole through the bottom of the recess or battery-cup, and also through the cup a, for the passage of the flame from the primer to the powder, as shown in the drawings.

An advantage of this manner of re-enforcing the head is, that the disk I), when thus forced into its place, serves as a support, not only for the head of the shell, but it also supports the walls of the battery-cup or recess 0, and thus prevents thelatter from being"; distended by the pressure of the gases within it,

yvhereby the cartridge is rendered more perfectly. gas-tight, especially when reloaded and as those used in shot-guns {are intended to be. liy using the cylindrical shell in a taper chamber, it will be seen that the shell can be more readily inserted; also any particles of dirt that may chance to be in the chamber not preventing the shell from entering, as it would it both shell and chamber were of uniform diameter and shape.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is A cartridge-shell consisting of the body B, having an external cup, 0 'formed in its head to receive the primer, with the internal re-enforce b filling the space between the walls of the body and the primereup, and the gas check or cup a resting thereon, all substantially as described:

W. S. SMOOT.

Witnesses:

F. C. SHEPARD, F. (J. MAUSER. 

